Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers

Are your condition monitoring technologies deployed and integrated in the most efficient way? Have they succeeded in improving machine availability and reducing recurring equipment failures? If your answer is not a resounding "yes," then it might be time to review your condition-monitoring strategy.

The Manual Safety-Chock from Serco (Carrollton, TX) provides loading docks with a versatile wheel restraint solution, capable of engaging and restraining the wide range of trailers that come to the dock, including trucks with lift gates, damaged rear impact guards, or different axle configurations.

The Parker Hannifin Corporation (Columbus, OH) has introduced a new line of SAE aluminum tube fittings that are approximately 65 percent lighter than equivalent steel and stainless steel fittings, according to the company. The aluminum fittings can reduce the costs of converting a system from steel or stainless steel because no component redesign is necessary.

The Proofer Storage Stand from the Paul N. Gardner Co., Inc. (Pompano Beach, FL) safety stores six proofer rollers and the proofer assembly. The rollers are suspended by their journals to protect the engraved surface area, and rollers with wide or narrow hubs can also be stored.

Eriez (Erie, PA) has released the Metalarm MA3600 Metal Detector, which is available in two models: the Hawk and the Eagle. Both have pulse induction technology, with balanced coil detection sensitivity and performance. They are microprocessor-based with self diagnostics and fault indication, which allow for a varied operating frequency to better suit different applications and sensitivities.

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) — Officials of a northern Indiana city have asked that the "For Lease" sign be taken down from the property where a company announced six months ago that it planned to start making electric cars.
Norwegian-based Think Global says it remains committed to opening a factory in Elkhart, although it's still waiting on a decision about a federal loan it has sought.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The case of Koua Fong Lee, a Toyota driver imprisoned for a crash that killed three people, has spurred a grass roots movement among people who believe the St. Paul man is innocent.
More than 5,500 people have signed up for a "Free Koua Fong Lee" page on Facebook, created by a Los Angeles man.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Advanced Micro Devices Inc., the world's No. 2 maker of computer microprocessors, is scheduled to report its second-quarter results Thursday after the market closes.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Many investors are worried about the strength of the personal computer market with economic troubles in Europe and concerns about slowing demand in China.

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. (AP) — Union workers called off a planned strike at the Alcan Rolled Products aluminum rolling mill in Ravenswood on Monday.
Some 700 members of the United Steelworkers had been scheduled to walk off the job Tuesday. But Local 5668 rescinded its strike notice in response to an offer Sunday by Alcan to continue talking, representative Randy Moore said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit widened in May to the highest level in 18 months as a rebounding economy pushed up demand for imports of foreign-made cars, computers and clothing.
The trade deficit increased 4.8 percent to $42.3 billion, the largest imbalance since November 2008, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

DETROIT (AP) — Corvette owners could soon be revving up an engine they built with their own hands.
General Motors Co. said Monday that buyers who order a 2011 Corvette Z06 or ZR1 can help assemble their cars' high-performance LS7 and LS9 engines. The automaker believes the program is the first of its kind in the industry.

While the Internet has definitely made the industry more prolific, counterfeiting has a history that predates the Internet by centuries. There weren’t designer handbags or electronics hundreds of years ago to counterfeit, so people worked with what they had literature, for one, is a good example.

On January 29, 2003, Boeing decided to design an all-new airplane made out of composites. They called it the 787 and the design idea was to make the plane light and fuel-efficient, to be a long range airplane. The dream for this aircraft was to move manufacturing to its Tier 1 suppliers who would coordinate with Tier 2 and 3 suppliers, and all Boeing would have to do was assemble the parts and save a whole bunch of time, effort, and money.

Hydro's long-term strategy is to build its portfolio of services to include second-stage manufacturing
processes: fabrication, bending and CNC machining.
Hydro Aluminum’s MO-based extrusion plant took dozens of incremental steps to close production gaps, create value-added services, and improve safety and quality.

Chloride Systems (Burgaw, NC) has developed the Max-Lite Series of emergency lighting products, which are ideal for locations where oil-, water-, and dust-resistant equipment are required. The lights are certified to NSF Standard 2 Splash Zone, and are UL-listed for use in damp and wet locations in temperatures ranging from 0° to 40°C.

Hytrel-lined PVC tubing is designed to provide the flexibility and durability of PVC with the unique properties of Hytrel, and is now available from NewAge Industries (Southampton, PA). The tubing is useful in applications where different performance is needed for the inside and outside of the tube, and typical applications include air sampling, computer equipment, gas delivery, and general fluid transfer.

Lista International Corporation (Holliston, MA) introduces its new All-Purpose Workbench, a high-quality, general purpose workbench capable of supporting 1,000 pounds. There are dozens of choices for storage, adjustability and configurability, available accessories and options, mobility, and colors, giving users a bunch system best suited for their particular needs.

The P-433 Ship Shape bulk container from Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. (Ashtabula, OH) is now available with an optional hinged panel that opens for visual and ergonomic access to goods. The hinged panel permits these high-volume containers to replace smaller bins or totes in order to increase efficiency in picking, assembly, and other operations.

Policies, similar to vision statements and strategies, are not always the living documents we expect them to be. To remain current, they must evolve and change with time and adjust to current realities.
Our energy policies certainly are in this category.